Xbox LIVE Service Alert Issued

A new year begins, and we have encountered our first issue with an online gaming service: Xbox LIVE has entered a ‘service alert’ status.

[lorianguy]

Judging by MS's track record, it'll be sorted soon.

[xtremexx]

woah, you told the future, its been fixed lol

[lorianguy]

Well I guess that confirms it - I'm Jesus!

...or just lucky...

[jimbobwahey]

If only he'd been around to say this back when Xbox Live went down for 3 whole weeks. Fun times!

[evilunklebud]

Maybe you forgot to pay your internet bill then....?

I've had it since 05.... occasional outages lasting hours has been my max annoyance.

[jimbobwahey]

Xbox Live went down for weeks after the original Modern Warfare was launched. All Microsoft did to make up for the downtime of their paid service was give everybody a copy of that crappy submarine XBLA game months afterwards as a weak apology.

I remember since it was the reason I sold my copy of the game for 360 and picked it up for PS3 instead, actually got to play the game then!

[Echo307]

@Jimbob

Fanboy alert!

XBL didn't actually "go down" for 3-4 weeks like some are claiming. I remember that rough patch vividly because I had just got my 360.

Launching private chat, sending messages, and inviting/joining other players was very rough and mostly unusable, but only a couple of times during that almost month-long period just after X-mas did XBL actually refuse to sign me in and let my play online by myself.

People like to compare that situation to that of the PSN downtime but they're not quite the same thing and obviously had different causes (overload from too many people playing vs. insecure network).

EDIT - And the "crappy submarine XBLA game months afterwards as a weak apology" was a game called Undertow that scored 76 on Metacritic and was worth $10. Even if the network had been down for an entire month, the game was worth way more than one month of service. Also, it wasn't months later that they offered this. Service was restored to normal in mid-January, and Microsoft announced this offer on 1/22. Also important to note that the free game was also given to Silver members who weren't currently paying for Gold.

[evilunklebud]

@jimbobwahey

Hmmmm, I did not experience weeks of downtime as you did.

Your last sentence reeks of fanboy-ism as well.

[orange-skittle]

Damn, can anyone say PWNED! talk about taking it to him with facts and shutting him up. PSN users love to compare their crappy service w/ XBL. I own both and I have to tell you, the XBL Netflix app is far superior to the PSN version. The interface is better and I love when the ending credits start to roll it goes to picture in picture and gives you a choice of 3 movies to look at next and asked how you like it to rate it for the next guy. It had me watching movies all day finding movies I didnt know were in the library. PSN doesnt do any of that. You get what you pay for

[Kurt Russell]

Undertow was wicked. And live didn't go down for 3 weeks, was just a bit buggy with some of its features that year.

[Euthanasia78]

Ya, that $1.15 a week for Live is worth it. I could never understand why ppl complained about the price. It's a solid service and well worth it. I'm not gonna go there with Sony, but I own one. I know what happened. Idk. I have no preference. I have many ps games. I'm just saying. MS security is good. (for xbox) LOL

[christopher6453]

WOW you pay $1.15/week? I only pay $.96/week...

[Euthanasia78]

LOL

[kaveti6616]

I know what you mean, but think of it this way. Verizon was about to issue a new "convenience fee" of $2.00 for every time someone pays their phone bill using their smartphone's data plan.

Some people would say, "Not a big deal, that's only 2 more dollars a month." It's the same argument you use to justify the XBL fee.

2 dollars a month more doesn't seem like much, but when everyone who pays their bill that way is charged, Verizon stands to make hundreds of millions more in pure profit.

And Microsoft charges XBL Gold users a fee that doesn't seem like much when you break down the cost, but they are basically nickel and diming their customers.

It doesn't hurt the individual that much, but it takes about a billion dollars away from total XBL users annually.

We allow corporations to nickel and dime us all the time because we aren't suffering too much individually from it. It's a smart tactic. When gas prices go up 20 cents a gallon we complain a bit but then we say, "Aw, that's okay. I can afford it." And the oil companies get very wealthy, and their executives are giving themselves 200 million dollar bonuses. And they look for any reason (natural disaster, social revolution in Middle East, etc) to raise gas prices, even though their oil production is often unaffected by these events. And we let them, because America is all about screwing people over to achieve the American Dream.

[kreate]

@kaveti

ur right.
But i dont think it matters. Xbox live users are very happy paying for gold. When the price went up from 49.99 to 59.99 nobody complained except ppl with brains who are not a fanboy. Which there isnt many of them.

Even if the price further increases. 10, 20, 30 dollar increase. The same reason ppl use to justify their spending will be used again.

Cuz when u break the price down to month to month. Week by week. Day by day. Its only so many cents per hour per person.

And ppl will use the psn hack as another means to justify their payments even though psn hack has not much to do with paying for xbox gold cuz that is what they love to begin with.

[Ravenor]

Kaveti that is such broken logic, paying to use your cellphones data to pay a bill is stupid because you've already paid for that bandwidth. Microsoft merely charges you to use their network, something they have every right to do and if you don't want to pay it go right ahead and don't.

[da_2pacalypse]

I get my service for 39.99 a year... so that's like 75 cents

[gamingdroid]

@kaveti6616

Because the provider stands to make huge profits doesn't change the value proposition they provide you.

For instance, did you know make-up has a 90% profit margin? Did you know bottled water has more than a 99.99% profit margin?

If you don't like it, don't buy it!

... It's not like there isn't an alternative!?

***We allow corporations to nickel and dime us all the time because we aren't suffering too much individually from it. It's a smart tactic. When gas prices go up 20 cents a gallon we complain a bit but then we say, "Aw, that's okay. I can afford it."***

That is because consumers view the 20 cent increase in price negligible to the benefit they reap from the product.

***And the oil companies get very wealthy, and their executives are giving themselves 200 million dollar bonuses.***

What executives do with their "earnings" is their business, not yours!

***And they look for any reason (natural disaster, social revolution in Middle East, etc) to raise gas prices, even though their oil production is often unaffected by these events. And we let them, because America is all about screwing people over to achieve the American Dream.***

That said, it's not American Corporations that own oil or it's production... it's the Middle East and they got essentially a monopoly thanks to OPEC. It's not a free market! You should do some research!

I would also like to add that the American Dream is what has driven innovation in technology and produced by far the vast majority of the largest corporations that produces some of the most used products/services to the entire world.

[kreate]

@gamingdroid

'That is because consumers view the 20 cent increase in price negligible to the benefit they reap from the product.'

Actually i think its more like consumers dont have a choice but to buy it.

U cant really tell a person
'if u dont like it, dont buy it'
In situations like these

what u want us to do? Walk everywhere?

We live in a greedy capitalistic society. Sure ... If we dont like it, i guess we'll not buy it.......

hopefully ur right.

some points u made in previous articles i was agreeing with u especially the one where u were attacking the corporations and defending the gamers with the 'online pass' controversy.

What happened to all the logics u set forth in those comments?

[kaveti6616]

"It's not like there isn't an alternative!?"

You don't know what you're talking about.
No matter what service carrier you choose, you're facing long-term contracts, fees, automatic surcharges for features you don't use, automatic activation of features (long distance to Canada).

"What executives do with their "earnings" is their business, not yours!"

I don't know what backwards country you hail from, but when a corporation raises prices on me without proper justification just so the head honchos can buy another island, it's my business.

The most important resources in the world should not be controlled by publicly traded corporations. They have no vested interest in the community. They care about lining their pockets by lining the pockets of their worthless day-trader investors.

[s45gr32]

It is a cohesive service and has better community features i.e. party system, the zones you know that ones that let you play with either pro gamers or celebrities. Excellent matchmaking system. Is just that the $60.00 don't cover the online passes, the netflix, hulu plus, and sky tv monthly fees. No twitter, facebook support, no loyalty program, peer to peer servers, pay five dollars for avatar props and two dollars for avatar clothing that is if you are into avatars. STEAM does it all for free no avatars though.

[gamingdroid]

@kreate

***Actually i think its more like consumers dont have a choice but to buy it.***

So you have no choice in living closer, walking, biking, use electric cars, or take public transportation?

***What happened to all the logics u set forth in those comments?***

I'm pro capitalism as well as consumer protection. I was primarily responding to kaveti6616 whom seem to say that lost of money is taken from consumers without any value provided back, which is simply not true. Furthermore he goes on to bash America Dream whom is the pillar in motivating people in providing innovation.

In regards to Online Passes, I do not agree with them because they charge you for something that was once part of the game without providing any extra value what so ever (some dedicated servers would be nice). Furthermore, it also hurts the online community so it is all around a loss for everyone.

@kaveti6616

***No matter what service carrier you choose, you're facing long-term contracts, fees, automatic surcharges for features you don't use, automatic activation of features (long distance to Canada).***

My comment was more directed towards Xbox Live, but technically you do agree to all those terms when you sign up for the telecom's offering. Unfortunately, the telecoms have far too much government protection and regulation so there isn't proper competition in the market to drive prices down.

***I don't know what backwards country you hail from, but when a corporation raises prices on me without proper justification just so the head honchos can buy another island, it's my business.***

Prices are pretty much dictated by demand so CEO getting millions in earnings isn't a reflection of the price they are charging you for the service/product. It tends to indicate demand unless there aren't enough competition or there really isn't free competition.

CEO compensation is a fraction of earnings, and often times even a company experiencing losses will pay millions.

My main issue is more with people getting upset with others making millions, when they are free to do the same and donate their earnings or wahtever they prefer. I want freedom to earn.

***The most important resources in the world should not be controlled by publicly traded corporations. They have no vested interest in the community. They care about lining their pockets by lining the pockets of their worthless day-trader investors.***

Unfortunately, basically almost any resource you can name is controlled by companies (public or not). I do agree that it is unfortunate that resources that are essential shouldn't be controlled, but the alternative is government control. We all know, they aren't efficient.

My comment was more directed towards Xbox Live (and to a minor extent Verizion). Neither is required, and there are alternatives such as landlines (even cheap ones for low income in some places) and free online gaming services on different platforms. That said, Xbox Live actually offers something the competition doesn't for a cost. If you are unhappy with that choose a different provider that exist.

That said, none of the oil issues has anything to do with American Dream and is a completely different discussion. It has everything to do with the Middle East and OPEC. In fact, the US is among the cheapest (if not the cheapest) oil prices for consumers!

[LettingGo]

NO! It has nothing to do with security! The same thing could have happened to Live! The PSN was the one that got attacked first though. Live was just as week before the attacks. Most Microsoft and Sony improved security after the attacks.

[kaveti6616]

Please don't use the term "earn" incorrectly.

If BP or Exxon Mobil raises the price of gasoline in response to a natural disaster that did not affect their production at all, then they're not earning money. They're manipulating cost under the guise of crisis in order to squeeze the market.

When service providers charge you an additional cost to allow texting, they are not earning money. Do you know how texts are sent. They travel on the same packets of data that are regularly sent between the mobile phone and the cell tower to maintain a connection. That means the service provider isn't doing any more work to provide you with the texting feature. They actually do more work to restrict the consumer from texting. That is not an honest way to make a living. It's like if someone sold you a car with three wheels and then charged you an additional fee for the fourth wheel.

The American Dream is no different from the African Dream or the Russian Dream or the Asian Dream or whatever other ethnicity/race exists on this planet's dream. Everyone in the world wants to live comfortably with some sense of financial security.

I wasn't criticizing the American Dream. I was criticizing the perverted misinterpretation of it by people who find themselves in a position to exploit the masses for unreasonably lavish ends. At the expense of everyone else, these people live like kings, and when we point out that they got there through deception and manipulation, they cry for freedom, they accuse us of being unpatriotic.

As George Carlin once said, the reason why they call it the American Dream is because you have to be asleep to believe it.

[xAlmostPro]

Well it's not that price a week at all is it?.. There's no option to pay in that method, you must pay in one lump sum.

[gamingdroid]

@kaveti6616

***If BP or Exxon Mobil raises the price of gasoline in response to a natural disaster that did not affect their production at all, then they're not earning money. They're manipulating cost under the guise of crisis in order to squeeze the market.***

There is nothing preventing them from raising costs regardless, because you choose to be dependent on it.

... and yes they did earn it. These companies still have to pump this oil from the ground up, transport it to you and sell it.

***When service providers charge you an additional cost to allow texting, they are not earning money. Do you know how texts are sent. They travel on the same packets of data that are regularly sent between the mobile phone and the cell tower to maintain a connection. That means the service provider isn't doing any more work to provide you with the texting feature. They actually do more work to restrict the consumer from texting. That is not an honest way to make a living.***

But you don't have to use texting! What a concept!

Furthermore, what "companies" do with their network is none of your concern. All you need to know is you are paying a price for something they provide. If you see value, you buy. It's not a very hard concept to understand.

***It's like if someone sold you a car with three wheels and then charged you an additional fee for the fourth wheel.***

How about not buying the three wheeled car? It's not like you didn't know you bought a three wheeled car and then complained about it later?

Sounds like a person, that puts themselves in misery and blames everyone else for it.

***The American Dream is no different from the African Dream or the Russian Dream or the Asian Dream or whatever other ethnicity/race exists on this planet's dream. Everyone in the world wants to live comfortably with some sense of financial security.***

That is actually incorrect. As a European that now lives in the US, there is significance difference in peoples motivation by first hand experience due to the American Dream and "the land of opportunities" (that unfortunately is rapidly turning into the land of welfare opportunities).

***I wasn't criticizing the American Dream. I was criticizing the perverted misinterpretation of it by people who find themselves in a position to exploit the masses for unreasonably lavish ends.***

Nobody wants to be exploited, but what you have shown so far is self subjected exploitation i.e. you allowed yourself to be exploited. We aren't talking about life essential things here.

***At the expense of everyone else, these people live like kings, and when we point out that they got there through deception and manipulation, they cry for freedom, they accuse us of being unpatriotic.***

Again, how they live with the money they earn is none of your concern. You are free to "earn the same" and fight them while living an unlavish lifestyle....

[orange-skittle]

I never really complained considering what I saw coming. They raised it because those new apps arent free. MS has to pay for them so they have to raise the rate. Look at PSN, all the good features are for PLUS subscribers now. You pay $50 a year and they still dont have half the features or arcade games XBL has. I play my PS3 everyday, but PSN is trash. I wouldn't mind paying $50 a year on PSN if they included everything LIVE gives.

[Euthanasia78]

I always get my yr subscription for 39.99, and I have zero problem with paying. I like Live. I'm a gamer, and I don't mind paying for my hobby. Wait till every single game has a pass and subscription. Gaming is only going to get more expensive as technology gets better and better. We have no choice in the matter. We don't have to buy Live, but the Xbox sux without it. It's just the way it is.

[insomnium2]

"There is nothing preventing them from raising costs regardless, because you choose to be dependent on it."

I have no other choise whatsoever but to buy gasoline and drive my car to work every day. Not everyone lives in a city you do know that right?

No matter what they charge I have to pay. All I can do is drive as little as possible and plan ahead with my trips to stores and stuff.

"... and yes they did earn it. These companies still have to pump this oil from the ground up, transport it to you and sell it. "

They would've pumped the same amount anyway they just chose to charge more for the same amount this time around. You seem to not understand on purpose. That's not earning. That's BS and everyone knows it.

"Nobody wants to be exploited, but what you have shown so far is self subjected exploitation i.e. you allowed yourself to be exploited."

If I don't buy gas I can't go to work. If I don't pay for live I can't play online.

You yourself said "In regards to Online Passes, I do not agree with them because they charge you for something that was once part of the game without providing any extra value what so ever (some dedicated servers would be nice)." So tell me what extra value does live fees bring to people who only care about PLAYING online?

[gamingdroid]

@insomnium2

***I have no other choise whatsoever but to buy gasoline and drive my car to work every day. Not everyone lives in a city you do know that right?***

How about you move into the city? Get a different job?

Because you are used to it, doesn't mean that you have to use it. I can agree with it not being practical for everyone, but there is little you can do other than lobby your government (I'm assuming you are in the US) for them to open up oil drilling off the coast. That will increase supply and potentially lower prices.

That said, the reason why oil prices is high is due to a small group of people controlling a large portion of the world's oil supply while banding togheter.

***They would've pumped the same amount anyway they just chose to charge more for the same amount this time around. You seem to not understand on purpose. That's not earning. That's BS and everyone knows it.***

What people seem to miss is that "profits" is dependent on market demand, not on the actual cost. Why do you think gold is expensive?

***If I don't buy gas I can't go to work.***

OK... how about live closer to work or get another job?

***If I don't pay for live I can't play online.***

No, but you can buy another console or even a PC that gives you free online play. Why buy an Xbox 360 that clearly tells you there is a fee then complain about it later?

Only idiots do that. Are you one of them?

***So tell me what extra value does live fees bring to people who only care about PLAYING online?***

MS has brought numerous "exclusive" features to online play including party system, beacons and a dedicated team to handle online cheaters and illegal activity.

They have also brought you the fastest online gaming network. Ever wondered why your achievements are almost instantly synched while your trophy sync takes forever (unless you pay for PSN+ and get a batch job run daily at night).

On top of that you have received numerous dashboard updates that improve the user interface for gaming functionality as well.

That said, I bet you the vast majority just don't "only play games online".

I'm very much against Online Passes as it stands, because nothing is offered in addition and it is purely a value subtraction to the consumer. Even big games sometimes suffer from a small online community, and Online Passes will ensure it will stay even smaller.

[jaymart2k]

Topic title misleading. It's only a App problem. Nothing to do with the online service whatsoever.

[Euthanasia78]

Don't you love how they "trump" it up to sound worse than it was?

[BatRastered]

This is sadly par for the course at N4G these days. I can't believe people approve crap like that.

[radphil]

"Both Sky Player and LoveFilm apps are encountering difficulties throughout Europe and NA"

For those that want to know the issue.

[marison]

No shit!

It's the beginning of the end. At least a month of downtime, all ours Gamerpoints and MS Points gone and $10.000 credit card bills!

[RaidensRising]

Just played skyplayer no problems in the UK.

[Euthanasia78]

I had a little bit of a difficult time with UFC 141, but I got it. It buffered a bit, but not that much. Maybe 3 times for a min each. Not that bad. I wouldn't pay for one yet tho. It's gotta get more stable first.

[H2OAcidic]

Really?! Did you really have to make it news that something was wrong with Xbox Live for a short time. It's called anyone can go to support.xbox.com and look this up. LOL!

[GraveLord]

Xbox Live isn't as state-of-art as some fanboys may have you believe. Anyway kudos to Microsoft for fixing whatever the problem was so quickly!

[3GenGames]

Nobody said it was state-of-the-art, it just has better features than others. Hell, the only one I use and will pay for it at the price it is right now is party chat. Nothing like going into a party by yourself and not hearing all the retards in MP that other consoles have to do. Yeah, I can mute them all on the PS3, but that takes time on the menu or it takes time in the game and somebody is already screaming when I get in there and I still have to hear it for 10 seconds. Worth it to not deal with it period.

[LettingGo]

You're paying for THAT feature?!? That's it?!? You know...it's FREE on Steam. In fact, Steam has many features that Xbox Live does not...and it's STILL free.

[ginsunuva]

Haxhaxhaxhaxhaxhaxhaxhaxhaxhax hx!

Xbauks is the doooomezd!

[3GenGames]

"360 is doomed! Wii sucks and isn't a console." -PS3 fanboys.

"PS3 is doomed! Wii sucks and isn't a console" -360 fanboys.

"Wii made more money in the first 4 years of this generation than you'll ever make with 360 and PS3 combined!" -Nintendo

They all make money, none of them are going anywhere you stupid troll.

[ginsunuva]

Calm down dude. It was a joke k?

[SITH]

WTH. I have been on live all day and just finished watching hangover II. I didn't notice a thing. It must have not affected my region of the US.

[Mustang300C2012]

same here.

[Legion]

This is not a reply.

Zzzzzzzz....

[PixL]

To those people who say that it's OK that MS charges for online: don't you know that you've paid already three times for your service?

First time when you bought the system, second time when you buy any game with multiplayer, third time when your system displays adverts in the dashboard. The cost of server maintenance for multiplayer is INCLUDED in the price of the game. Microsoft doesn't charge for online play, they charge you for sending messages to your friends, talking online and access to other services. All of those are free on any other popular platform so don't say it's OK. You're being billed for things which are and have always been free.

When you're talking about quality of XBL service, you're talking about quality of shops being open. That's their damn business to be open and allowing you to use them. They should be kindly asking you to do so, not charge you for that. If XBL is down for an hour, they lose a lot of money on purchases not being made and adverts not being refreshed. That's their major concern, not your convenience. As MS taught us this generation with their lack of core support and all the Kinect idiocy, their loyal users mean nothing to them.

Would you pay for being able to access N4G? I know it sounds ridiculous. For me, as a user of free online services since mid-90s, paying for XBL sounds similar.

[gcolley]

dude it's time to get over it. time to move on. do you think you paragraphs of bullshit are making a point. only on n4g do fanboys think they can make a point a million times like it is the first time anyone has heard it.
get over it.

this site covers gaming news of all types yet the 'users' just carry on about the same xbox vs ps shit every damn article. what is wrong with you guys? time to discuss something interesting for a change

[BabyTownFrolics]

you need more bubbles

[PixL]

Get over being screwed by a company? When they stop screwing me. Yes, I have an XBL account.

Also, I didn't mention anything PS related. If everything is "xbox vs ps shit" to you, look for some fanboy treatment.

[Zephol]

Anonymous Alert!

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Wow I had no idea it was down?

[JellyJelly]

It wasn't. It was only two social apps that didn't work.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

So ppl were making a big deal out of this? Doesn't surprise me.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Is that why you're practically the only kid who got marked down for trolling? Sounds like to me you're ranting fanboyism. By the Way trying to justify reasons why we pay for gold is none your or any other fanboys concern if the next guy wants to play 60$ for online let it be and quit insulting our intelligence we made the purchase not you.